Onward, Mississippi

Onward is an unincorporated community located in Sharkey County, Mississippi, at the junction of Mississippi Highway 1 and U.S. Route 61. Onward is approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Cary and approximately 9 miles (14 km) north of Valley Park.

Onward, Mississippi
Unincorporated community
The Onward Store in Onward
Onward, Mississippi Onward, Mississippi
Coordinates: 32°43′31″N 90°56′31″W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Sharkey
Elevation	102 ft (31 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	39159
Area code(s)	662
GNIS feature ID	675291[1]

Onward had a post office from about 1879 to 1975.[2] The post office was housed in Onward Store in the early to mid-twentieth century. A state historical highway marker on the grounds of Onward Store commemorates the creation of the Teddy Bear. In 1902, former United States President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a captive bear during a bear hunt at nearby Smedes Plantation. Subsequent political cartoons inspired the creation of the Teddy Bear.

A map from 1873 shows Onward located approximately 0.4 mi (0.64 km) west of its current location, at the confluence of Black Bayou and Deer Creek, with the towns of "Reality" and "Good Intent" located to the south.[3]

References

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Onward, Mississippi
2. "Jim Forte Postal History".
3. Searles, Jas M.; Stratton, David (1873). "Map of the County of Issaquena, Mississippi". Hugh Lewis.